Simpit Software from SDA

Please read our wiki https://github.com/s-d-a/DCS-ExportScripts/wiki

Hello klem,

the installation is actually quite simple.

First you download Ikarus and the DCS ExportScript, using the green button "Clone or download" on the respective project pages.

Unpack the two zip files temporarily on your desktop.

From the unzipped "DCS-ExportScripts-master" folder, copy the folder "Scripts" into the path "C:\Users\<USER>\Saved Games\DCS" (the folder <USER> is your Windows user name).

If the "Scripts" folder already exists and it contains an "Export.lua" file, e.g. from Tacview or DCS-SimpleRadioStandalone, then you must do the following.

Copy the "Scritps" folder to the path as described, but do not overwrite the existing "Export.lua" file.

Open this "Export.lua" file with a text editor and insert the following lines at the end of the file:

load the DCS ExportScript for D.A.C. and Ikarus
dofile(lfs.writedir()..[[scripts\DCS-ExportScript\ExportScript.lua]]))

That was all for the ExportScript.

Open the unzipped folder "Ikarus-master" and copy the folder "Ikarus" to a place of your choice. The program is then started from there.

At the first start of Ikarus, you should uncheck the security hint and then click on the button "Run". If the Windows Firewall also asks you, then you should also click on Ok.

All this information is also available in the respective documentation, which can be found on the respective project page practice the link "Wiki".

CU Micha

Installation Instructions:

Broadly, you need to:

1. download the zip from github
   
2. unzip Ikarus
   
3. setup Ikarus to talk to DCS
   
4. run Ikarus
   
5. customize Ikarus panels
   
6. Fly!
   

1. Download Ikarus

Go to: https://github.com/s-d-a/Ikarus

Download the Zip via the green "Clone or Download" button on the top-ish right. This zip is all the files you can see in the github repository... zipped.

You also need to get the DCS-ExportScripts zip in the same way:

https://github.com/s-d-a/DCS-ExportScripts

2. Unzip Ikarus

Ikarus does not need to be "installed". Unzip to the desktop or some other random place. As soon as you've unzipped Ikarus, you can run it, there is no install process.

The Zip contains is one folder which contains all the files and sub-folders, called "Ikarus-master". Have a look at the file structure - its exactly the same as the structure on github. This folder needs to be extracted to where you want to run Ikarus from.

To keep everything together, you could make a new \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Ikarus directory and copy/move your newly unzipped Ikarus folder there.

\Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\ or \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS.openalpha\ is where DCS saves all of its settings/configuration/keybindings. If your not comfortable putting files in that directory, you can absolutely put Ikarus somewhere else.

I have a few folders:

\%User\Saved Games\DCS\Ikarus\Ikarus 1.2.3.1n\

\%User\Saved Games\DCS\Ikarus\Ikarus 1.2.3.1s\

\%User\Saved Games\DCS\Ikarus\Ikarus 1.2.3.1w\

Where I have kept the various versions. I can run each version from within its own directory.

Note: THERE IS NO SIMPLE UPGRADE PATH BETWEEN VERSIONS.

Keep your "production/modified" version separate and backed up. If you modify Ikarus, you will need to then merge those changes into any newer version you download. The more you customize, the harder this may become.

Each aircraft has an .xml file and an .ikarus file which change as you customize panels, as well as artwork used in the panels (which you can also modify as you wish).

3. Setup Ikarus to talk to DCS

In \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts there is your "Export.lua". Back it up. Back it up now. Of course you only can back it up if it exists.

Export.lua controls loading modules so that DCS and import/export data in various formats. You need to tell Export.lua to use DCS-ExportScripts, and you need to place those scripts in \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts.

Please note that "DCS-ExportScript" is Ikarus specific. Think of it as "DCS-Ikarus-ExportScript". It is not a general purpose exporter, and needs to co-exist with any other exporter you may have. TacView and DCS-BIOS have their own exporters for instance.

The Zip has the following directory structure:

DCS-ExportScripts.zip --> DCS-ExportScripts-master --> Scripts --> DCS-ExportScript

Inside the zip, "Scripts" has the same structure as \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts. Inside the zip, there is an Export.lua (that is Ikarus only).

If you do not have your own Export.lua, use the one from the zip. Grab Export.lua and the "DCS-ExportScript" folder and copy to \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts.

If you have your own Export.lua already, add this line (and copy the DCS-ExportScript folder):

-- load the DCS ExportScript for DAC and Ikarus
dofile(lfs.writedir()..[[scripts\DCS-ExportScript\ExportScript.lua]])

This instructs DCS to use the DCS-ExportScript you had just copied. Use notepad++ or another good text editor. Plain notepad will probably be painful.

You need to end up with:

\Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\Export.lua (with the Ikarus config)

\Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\DCS-ExportScripts

4. Run Ikarus

Run Ikarus.exe. At this point you dont need to run DCS, just play around with Ikarus.

You need to approve Ikarus's network access - Windows Firewall will pop up a window each time you start a new version of Ikarus. Ikarus can run on a remote PC (without display export) and uses network protocols to talk to DCS. If you run Ikarus on your DCS-local machine then you can export MFCD's - remember though that Ikarus still needs network access on the local machine to talk to DCS.

Hit "show panels" and they should appear - all of them. Then most panels will immediately disappear. You can actuate (click) the cockpit panel buttons with the mouse. On the main A-10C panel, there are 8 silver switches down the bottom - these switch between the different panels like the CDU, the UFC etc. You can mouse hover over most things to get descriptions.

5. Customize the Panels

You need to put in new co-ordinates if you want to move the panels around or move them to your second screen. You will need to do this as they default to 0,0 on the main DCS viewport. You cannot drag and drop cockpits or panels - you must hand-enter the co-ordinates.

If you select "editor mode" then "show cockpit" you can drag and drop panel elements around to re-position them (gauges, buttons, knobs etc).

If you export DCS MFCD's or other displays, then you will need to either arrange/resize Ikarus to suit, or, move the displays to suit Ikarus and probably both.

6. Fly!

A few things:

• You dont need a touchscreen, Ikarus will work with a mouse.
  
• There are buttons in the cockpit to switch between panels. Only the main panel is displayed at first. There is no way to switch between panels using the Ikarus config window.
  
• Ikarus auto-detects aircraft and displays the panels to suit
  
• You can start and stop Ikarus during a mission and DCS will just work it out. You can start Ikarus after DCS or before.
  
• There is no "local machine" mode in Ikarus. If you run Ikarus on your DCS PC then Ikarus needs to talk to 127.0.0.1 (locahost).
  
• Ikarus has a hierarchy, there is the Cockpit, there are "Panels" and then there "gauges/buttons".
  

Wow, I like that. Very good Terminal. Thanks, but your link points to my development version. It changes daily. That overwhelms every normal user. Please change that. Ever thank you.

May we take this as a quick guide to the wiki? Is that ok for you?

Guys thanks for your replies.

H-J-P I'm sorry I didn't notice the wiki under your signature.

McMicha, thanks, I can see now how \DCS-Script-Master\scripts\ either creates a new \Scripts\ folder or melds with the existing \Script\ folder if you have one.

Thermal. Brilliant. Exactly what I wanted. It works fine now. No offence to anyone else but all the simple steps are there in one text.

I had fumbled my way to what you said via various posts but there was a fundamental problem in the way it was described by many and the problem was to do with the name of DCS-ExportScript folder.

The thing that led me astray and is still there is shown in your section 3 when you say :

"Unzip DCS-ExportScript somewhere." The zipped file is actually called "DCS-ExportScript-Master" under which is a \Script\ folder and under there is the actual \DCS-ExportScript\ folder that's needed to go into \Users\%User%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\ folder.

It may sound simple but instructions in various posts to 'unzip the contents of DCS-ExportScript' to the Scripts folder was misleading because a) the zip file is not called that and b) the actual DCS-ExportScript folder is 2 levels down. Other unnecessary files and folders in the zip only added to my confusion (surely I need these too?).

Anyway it works really well now - Thank you H-J-P! - and I have possibly just confused people even more :huh:

Have fun

It's about understanding and not just applying it to us. That was actually our goal.

I've updated my post and tried to polish it up, and added the correct githib repository. I've learnt something through writing the instructions too!

Klem, I've taken your feedback onboard and added quite a bit more about DCS-ExportScripts.

H-J-P, I am really happy for you to take any/all of it and put it in the wiki. Anything to help. Would you like me to add it to the wiki?

Sure, if you want it. This is not a problem.

We are open source .... Any help is welcome :-)

well I got this program to work but I need to understand how to break out panels. I have small touchscreens for my mfd's which work with helios but not this. I cant figure out how to move the buttons around the screen. they dont show up when I put them into position. Any tutorials for this.

Great response guys, thanks.

If I may add one point. Reorganise the DCS-ExportScript download, removing unwanted stuff. Name it say DCS-ExportScript.zip but contains only:-

\Scripts\ folder and subfolder \DSC-ExportScript\.

Remove unecessary files in \Script\ folder or put them into docu folder

Move docu folder down under the \DSC-ExportScript\ folder.

Change name of \Scripts\DSC-ExportScript\ExportScript.lua to ExportScript_ikarus.lua

Change installation instructions to:

Extract all to \Saved Games\DCS\ (will make \Scripts\ folder if it doesn't exist)

Go to \Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\ folder.

If ExportScript.lua exists copy/paste all from ExportScript_ikarus.lua to to the bottom of ExportScript.lua

If Export.lua didn't exist rename ExportScript_ikarus.lua to ExportScript.lua

[ I was always told don't bring a problem to the table unless you bring a solution :) ]

ok if I hit editor mode how do I get out. Are there any instructions on editing.

OK there appears to be a hierarchy to this system. You need to create a background then place buttons on the background. Correct?

Also how do you add the DCS link. It wont let you in the switch detail

ok if I hit editor mode how do I get out. Are there any instructions on editing.

 

OK there appears to be a hierarchy to this system. You need to create a background then place buttons on the background. Correct?

 

Also how do you add the DCS link. It wont let you in the switch detail

How did you do that? And yes, you always need a panel for the switches, displays and so on.

What you get is open source and not something you have to pay for. Any help is welcome.

ok so more discovery

I have two lilliput monitors that are 800 by 600. To get the buttons on those screens I have to create a background layered image that is 1600 by 600, Map the MFD image layers onto this background, then lay it down as panel 1 in the configuration. then I can align buttons to the image. I still dont understand how to enter the DCS id into the switches though if I start from scratch. Whomever wrote this software should be able to give us a hint. And unfortunately Im not a good enough artist to come up with an image like that hat has transparency to the mfd image shows in the MFD.

ok so more discovery

I have two lilliput monitors that are 800 by 600. To get the buttons on those screens I have to create a background layered image that is 1600 by 600, Map the MFD image layers onto this background, then lay it down as panel 1 in the configuration. then I can align buttons to the image. I still dont understand how to enter the DCS id into the switches though if I start from scratch. Whomever wrote this software should be able to give us a hint. And unfortunately Im not a good enough artist to come up with an image like that hat has transparency to the mfd image shows in the MFD.

1. Dont start from scratch. Copy an existing profile (the .xml and .ikarus files) and modify the copy. You can delete a panel and the switches are still available for use. Create your own panel and then add the existing switches to it.

2. http://www.gimp.org, and use the existing images in /Ikarus/Images/Backgrounds as a base and work from there.

Base image to work with, its already 1600*600. The button positions are green because its easier to see Ikarus buttons and images are placed correctly above the base image.

Quick question before I start working on exporting displays. Does exporting these displays ruin the MP Integrity Check? There's no point in doing all of this (for me who only plays multiplayer) if exporting this stuff in a MP server (with Integrity checks) will not work.

Thanks!

Quick question before I start working on exporting displays. Does exporting these displays ruin the MP Integrity Check? There's no point in doing all of this (for me who only plays multiplayer) if exporting this stuff in a MP server (with Integrity checks) will not work.

 

Thanks!

The standard viewports (LEFT_MFCD and RIGHT_MFCD) always work.

Only self-created viewports, where you change the LUA files of the gauges, can be problematic.

I have wound up with the same issue as I experienced quite some time ago. I can change the X and Y values of a provided profile, and the graphic sits just fine on my 2nd monitor, but when I start the module in DCS, the graphic panel switches right back to the default position in the game screen? I cant get it to stay on the 2nd monitor?

One of the things I read in the instructions in SetUp was that Monitor 1 is used for game, Monitor 2 is used for displaying Ikarus.

What is unique for me is that when I look at my display properties, my main gaming monitor 30" is identified as #2 monitor, and my smaller 19” is displayed as # 1. I have never been able to reassign these numbers in Windows, but it has never been an issue either? When I boot up my PC, the desktop goes right to my main # 2 monitor. How do I address this? Thanks for any help.

I have wound up with the same issue as I experienced quite some time ago. I can change the X and Y values of a provided profile, and the graphic sits just fine on my 2nd monitor, but when I start the module in DCS, the graphic panel switches right back to the default position in the game screen? I cant get it to stay on the 2nd monitor?

 

One of the things I read in the instructions in SetUp was that Monitor 1 is used for game, Monitor 2 is used for displaying Ikarus.

 

What is unique for me is that when I look at my display properties, my main gaming monitor 30" is identified as #2 monitor, and my smaller 19” is displayed as # 1. I have never been able to reassign these numbers in Windows, but it has never been an issue either? When I boot up my PC, the desktop goes right to my main # 2 monitor. How do I address this? Thanks for any help.

You can change this in Monitor Setup. Which one is my primary monitor and which one expands that. There is a checkbox. But that's not really important. It is important which position Windows determines for the X / Y position. If you arrange the monitors correctly, then it should work.

I use the Ikarus panels distributed on 3 monitors without a problem. I can change that at any time. It is important to save the new configuration before loading a mission into DCS. I hope it helps something.

I still have an idea. Always save it with the DCS module file name. Just save the old file under a different name. That could be the understanding problem.

The file with the changed name will never be loaded.

Only this ensures that Ikarus loads the right module if you do it in DCS. OK. I'm flying some modules per job.

This is the only way to ensure that the communication is safe.

But it is not yet documented, as I currently see. Of course it was like that for us. Sorry.

I appreciate the feedback, but I dont see this 'Monitor Setup'. I do have the 30" set as Primary in Windows 10, i dont see any other locations to set this? Thanks,

I appreciate the feedback, but I dont see this 'Monitor Setup'. I do have the 30" set as Primary in Windows 10, i dont see any other locations to set this? Thanks,

Go to Monitor 1 and uncheck make this to your primary. I see this checkbox in the picture.

Monitor 2 is already checked as Primary, as per photo. Monitor 1 is already Unchecked

Do it as you like. Important is only what I have already written. The positons of the monitors in this picture. This is used to determine the position.